How do you know if you are doing a good job?

[twokidsmom,rn]

Hi

I have been a RN for 2.5yrs. I have worked in a hospital and at a VA hospital. I am now a home health nurse and I really like it. But I am still on probation for another month. I did not have much of a orientation about 1 week. I keep trying by best, manager has said I am doing fine but I am still nervous. I really want to become a great home health nurse, I just am not sure how I am doing. I have been handing in my paperwork and keep seeing my pts and opening new cases. So my question is how do you know if you are doing a good job, or is no news is good news? I am just worried that at the end of my probation they will let me go.

[NotFlo]

Unfortunately any type of positive feedback seems really difficult to come by in this field. You will hear about any tiny little error you might have made ad nauseum, but never hear about the other 364 days that year you did a good job. I don't know what it's that way.

[itsmejuli]

I know I'm doing a good job when I don't get in trouble :)

Reminds me of every other job I've had in my life.

[regularRN]

The fact that you are nervous and are concerned suggests that you are doing a good job.

[NC Girl BSN]

Sadly, when your not called into the office or written up over some foolishness.

Hard to get postive feedback in nursing.

[NeoPediRN]

If you're not doing a good job, you'll hear about it. :)

[Poi Dog]

I know I am doing a good job when I get reamed.

That's how it was at my last facility. Good work was NEVER praised.

[DizzyLizzyNurse]

If your manager says you are doing fine, believe them. You'd hear about it if it were otherwise.

[tiggerforhim]

When your patients are alive at the end of the day.

[back2bRN]

I was told...no news is good news. So if you are not being hauled into your managers' office, you are in fact doing a good job! Believe me, you would hear about it if you weren't doing well. Sucks I know, but do your job so you can look at yourself in the mirror and you won't need a managers "thata girl"

[carolmaccas66, BSN, RN]

Do you get performance appraisals done over there? If not you can ask you manager to do one with you, to see your areas of weakness and strengths.

Believe me if you weren't doing a good job, they would tell you - management in my experience never, ever hold back re things like that.